# "Cold Draw" vs. Lit Draw/Smoking



## OratorORourke (May 9, 2013)

I don't know how many of you practice in the habit of "cold drawing" before smoking your cigars, but I have done this for a few years now. Originally I started doing this just to test the draw in order to make sure I cut enough off the head to have an enjoyable smoking experience. Now I am hooked on being able to taste and trying to taste so many flavors. Most times, even more flavors than I can pull out while smoking. I have to assume that this is just another sign of an aging and further developing palate. One of the only benefits of aging (getting older) I guess. 

I have smoked cigars for two decades, yet I still get overly excited by little things like this. 

Getting to my question, do any of you find that you can pull out more flavors on the cold draw vs. what you actually get while smoking the cigar? 

Thanks in advance for the feedback. Looking forward to hearing everyone's experiences...


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## jurgenph (Jun 29, 2011)

sometimes i do, sometimes i don't 
i guess it depends on the cigar.

a 601 blue label a few days ago tasted pretty bad on the prelight draw... like an old dusty musty basement. i was almost scared to light it up.
luckily that did go away once it was burning 


J.


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## Mad4Cigars (May 30, 2013)

I've only recently bothered to do this with any conscious thought to taste, and I've been pleasantly surprised.
Not only do I get a lot of flavors, but it "Sets me up" to notice more while I smoke.
I had a Kristoff Corojo recently that had a really nice cold draw profile.


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## madbricky (Mar 29, 2013)

I got honest to goodness baking chocolate from 6 mo old Nica Libre. It smoked delicious too. Barnyard from a Man o War ruination. Sadly, to me it did not taste very good.


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## Tobias Lutz (Feb 18, 2013)

I will cold draw a stick that I am smoking for the first time. I don't bother when firing up a knockaround stick or a quality stick that I have had a few times before. I find certain spice nuances (cinnamon, cardamom, etc) and dark fruits (plums, cherries, etc.) tend to come out in a cold draw even though I might lose them in the smoke once I light it up. I've been noticing as of late that sometimes these flavors that I find on the cold draw tend to be the more prominent ones when I reach the nub (though frequently much more pronounced by that point). It isn't a sure-fire predictor though because some sticks taste very underwhelming prior to lighting and then come alive on you. Good topic!


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## A.McSmoke (Jan 9, 2013)

I've read that cold draw tasting is partly done to determine the quality of the blend/wrapper. If you are able to taste many of the pre-light flavors while smoking, the tobacco blend is well balanced.

If you are unable to taste the same flavors after lighting, or don't taste much at all on the cold draw, the blend is not well balanced or the stick is not constructed well.


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## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

I do it, but it's mostly to check the draw. Granted, I'm still not able to pick up the more subtle flavors...


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## Beeman (Apr 12, 2013)

OratorORourke said:


> I don't know how many of you practice in the habit of "cold drawing" before smoking your cigars, but I have done this for a few years now. Originally I started doing this just to test the draw in order to make sure I cut enough off the head to have an enjoyable smoking experience. Now I am hooked on being able to taste and trying to taste so many flavors. Most times, even more flavors than I can pull out while smoking. I have to assume that this is just another sign of an aging and further developing palate. One of the only benefits of aging (getting older) I guess.
> 
> I have smoked cigars for two decades, yet I still get overly excited by little things like this.
> 
> ...


Noob question. I have done a "cold draw" before, just to see if my punch did the trick or if I should break out my cutter. If I'm trying to get the benefit of tasting out of this how much cold drawing should I do? Are we talking a few draws here or a few minutes of draws?


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## jurgenph (Jun 29, 2011)

Beeman said:


> Noob question. I have done a "cold draw" before, just to see if my punch did the trick or if I should break out my cutter. If I'm trying to get the benefit of tasting out of this how much cold drawing should I do? Are we talking a few draws here or a few minutes of draws?


i've "smoked" an unlit cigar for more than an hour once. it was awesome.
i basically took it out of the humidor, cut it, did a cold draw test.
then something work related came up (my pager went off!) and just kept puffing on the unlit cigar while working 
i did end up smoking it later that night, so i got my money worth for that particular stick 

J.


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## Mortenoir (Mar 29, 2013)

I do it real quick, I cut my cigar then test the draw and try to make out any flavors that stand out sort of like a preview of whats to come.


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## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

It is pretty cool the flavors you can pick up from a cold draw.
First one to check the draw. Then a couple more over a few minutes to see what I pick up. If it's really pronounced I've spent a good 10 minutes examining the flavors I get before firing it up.


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## OratorORourke (May 9, 2013)

ezlevor said:


> I do it, but it's mostly to check the draw. Granted, I'm still not able to pick up the more subtle flavors...


That is what I originally started doing it for. I would say only over the last couple years have I really started paying attention to trying to pick out flavor notes. Even more recently, it seems I am detecting more and more.



Beeman said:


> Noob question. I have done a "cold draw" before, just to see if my punch did the trick or if I should break out my cutter. If I'm trying to get the benefit of tasting out of this how much cold drawing should I do? Are we talking a few draws here or a few minutes of draws?


I take a few draws. Now I must admit, I have drawn on an unlit cigar several times if it is a cold draw flavor bomb. Then I will keep cold drawing until I cant figure out what I am tasting or can no longer detect any more flavors.



jurgenph said:


> i've "smoked" an unlit cigar for more than an hour once. it was awesome.
> i basically took it out of the humidor, cut it, did a cold draw test.
> then something work related came up (my pager went off!) and just kept puffing on the unlit cigar while working
> i did end up smoking it later that night, so i got my money worth for that particular stick
> ...


I did this last week, same scenario. Cut it, then couldn't light it. I felt like one of those folks that try to quit smoking with a fake cigarette.



Mortenoir said:


> I do it real quick, I cut my cigar then test the draw and try to make out any flavors that stand out sort of like a preview of whats to come.


Sometimes you can get disappointed like the coming attractions to a movie and realize all the good parts were in the commercial!



piperdown said:


> It is pretty cool the flavors you can pick up from a cold draw.
> First one to check the draw. Then a couple more over a few minutes to see what I pick up. If it's really pronounced I've spent a good 10 minutes examining the flavors I get before firing it up.


I went thru this with a Liga Privada No. 9 the other night. I had been smoking so many Undercrowns that I was just enjoying the hell out of the No. 9's cold draw.


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## OratorORourke (May 9, 2013)

A.McSmoke said:


> I've read that cold draw tasting is partly done to determine the quality of the blend/wrapper. If you are able to taste many of the pre-light flavors while smoking, the tobacco blend is well balanced.
> 
> If you are unable to taste the same flavors after lighting, or don't taste much at all on the cold draw, the blend is not well balanced or the stick is not constructed well.


I did not know that. Interesting.



Tobias Lutz said:


> I will cold draw a stick that I am smoking for the first time. I don't bother when firing up a knockaround stick or a quality stick that I have had a few times before. I find certain spice nuances (cinnamon, cardamom, etc) and dark fruits (plums, cherries, etc.) tend to come out in a cold draw even though I might lose them in the smoke once I light it up. I've been noticing as of late that sometimes these flavors that I find on the cold draw tend to be the more prominent ones when I reach the nub (though frequently much more pronounced by that point). It isn't a sure-fire predictor though because some sticks taste very underwhelming prior to lighting and then come alive on you. Good topic!


Exactly! And sometimes, just the reverse. I have had some amazing cold draws and then been let down as all of those flavors I was hoping to have during the smoke, were gone. I have noticed the same thing on the nub with more mild-medium smokes. I smoke a lot of full Nicaragua puro's and the nub tends to end up just being the reintroduction to the pepper blast you get at the foot.

Glad you appreciate the topic.



madbricky said:


> I got honest to goodness baking chocolate from 6 mo old Nica Libre. It smoked delicious too. Barnyard from a Man o War ruination. Sadly, to me it did not taste very good.


The dark chocolate and mocha flavors tend to be the most prominent on cold draws and that is always fun. Having a little sweetness on your tongue prior to lighting is always nice. Yeah, I can't imagine that a barnyard taste would be a pleasant experience...unless your into that.



Mad4Cigars said:


> I've only recently bothered to do this with any conscious thought to taste, and I've been pleasantly surprised.
> Not only do I get a lot of flavors, but it "Sets me up" to notice more while I smoke.
> I had a Kristoff Corojo recently that had a really nice cold draw profile.


The Kristoff Corojo is wonderful. Pre & post light!



jurgenph said:


> sometimes i do, sometimes i don't
> i guess it depends on the cigar.
> 
> a 601 blue label a few days ago tasted pretty bad on the prelight draw... like an old dusty musty basement. i was almost scared to light it up.
> ...


I had the same thing with the 601 blue. I literally was not looking forward to lighting it. Completely opposite from the green label which has a lovely cold draw. The 601 Blue Label, for me, has been the most significant difference on cold draw vs smoking I have experienced.


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

I rarely cold-draw any more. These days I usually light before I cut. It's probably purely psychological, but I like the first puff or two better than when I cut before lighting. That said, I used to enjoy the flavors of a cold draw. Maybe I'll start mixing that back in the repertory. Most notable cold draw that I remember was on a 1940s "Clear Havana" (thanks to a generous BOTL) still in the cellophane. It was rolled on a spindle, which left a hole in the head (rather like me), and it needed no cutting. Here's a quote from my review of said cigar:

"Prelight draw tasted like all kinds of cedar, a little leather, and just an antique flavor. Sort of like the smell of an old book, but not musty. I couldn't help thinking that it's possible that when the US Customs agent in Indiana checked the bale of tobacco that this cigar was made from, and pronounced it "Clear Havana," somewhere, clear across the continent, a minister was pronouncing "man and wife" at my parents' wedding. It would be an enormous coincidence, and extremely unlikely, but that's how the general timeframes line up. I also realized that I may have puffed in a breath of air stored inside that cigar since the 1940's."


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## Chrishorsley13 (Jun 15, 2013)

I like to punch, so only to test the draw and see if its enough or if I should cut it


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## The Nothing (Mar 22, 2013)

Chrishorsley13 said:


> I like to punch, so only to test the draw and see if its enough or if I should cut it


I'm much the same, but I also take the moment to see how it tastes too.


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## A.McSmoke (Jan 9, 2013)

Tritones said:


> I rarely cold-draw any more. These days I usually light before I cut. It's probably purely psychological, but I like the first puff or two better than when I cut before lighting.


I prefer to light before cutting as well. This is an "old school" technique to keep all of the impurities out of the cigar that are introduced while puffing when lighting. May be psychological, but I really believe it results in less of a smoky flavor & cooler temp, which allows the flavors to come through.

I think the cold-draw has become popular for modern day reviews.


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## OratorORourke (May 9, 2013)

Tritones said:


> These days I usually light before I cut. It's probably purely psychological, but I like the first puff or two better than when I cut before lighting.





A.McSmoke said:


> I prefer to light before cutting as well. This is an "old school" technique to keep all of the impurities out of the cigar that are introduced while puffing when lighting. May be psychological, but I really believe it results in less of a smoky flavor & cooler temp, which allows the flavors to come through.
> 
> I think the cold-draw has become popular for modern day reviews.


I am going to have to try this.


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## jurgenph (Jun 29, 2011)

A.McSmoke said:


> I prefer to light before cutting as well. This is an "old school" technique to keep all of the impurities out of the cigar that are introduced while puffing when lighting. May be psychological, but I really believe it results in less of a smoky flavor & cooler temp, which allows the flavors to come through.


i've done this a few times, but force of habit makes me cut the cigar after taking it out of the humidor.
IMHO, i ddn't notice any difference when lighting before cutting.
i do not puff on the cigar while lighting it though.
i will slowly heat up the foot until i get it burning evenly
once that's done, i still don't puff, i'll give it about one minute to settle down.
then i'll blow through the cigar about three times or so, to blow out any unwanted impurities that the lighting may have created.
then another 30 seconds to a minute or so until i take my first puff.

J.


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## Beeman (Apr 12, 2013)

A.McSmoke said:


> I prefer to light before cutting as well. This is an "old school" technique to keep all of the impurities out of the cigar that are introduced while puffing when lighting. May be psychological, but I really believe it results in less of a smoky flavor & cooler temp, which allows the flavors to come through.
> 
> I think the cold-draw has become popular for modern day reviews.


I've heard so many different ways to light, but never this. I think I just found an excuse to have a smoke tonight


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## nikesupremedunk (Jun 29, 2012)

I must have a goat palate because all I get are just "tobacco" flavors from the cold draw.


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## A.McSmoke (Jan 9, 2013)

OratorORourke said:


> I am going to have to try this.





Beeman said:


> I've heard so many different ways to light, but never this. I think I just found an excuse to have a smoke tonight


There are so many methods to chose from. I believe this one to be an exercise in patience and anticipation, but I like it. Check out this video:

Three Matches | Cigar Aficionado - YouTube


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

nikesupremedunk said:


> I must have a goat palate because all I get are just "tobacco" flavors from the cold draw.


Dude - just do what the rest of us do - make stuff up ... :rofl:


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## alexcue (Mar 6, 2013)

If it's a new cigar, yes, i do check the draw after I've cut it. But it also depends what I'm cutting it with. I've started cutting more with a V-Cutter, and i find the draw is almost always perfect, meaning I don't have to cut it more. However, I've found out that some of those cigars just have a bad draw. No amount of cross cutting or larger guillotine is gonna help it.
Taste, is interesting, I do find more flavors come out this way in the Cold-Draw. But it can give the cigar a stigma too. I've had a couple that just tasted off on the cold draw, so when i do light it, I'm already expecting the worst.
If I've smoked a certain cigar already though, several times... I am toasting first, getting a glow then cutting. It does seem to be a slightly different experience.


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## OratorORourke (May 9, 2013)

A.McSmoke said:


> There are so many methods to chose from. I believe this one to be an exercise in patience and anticipation, but I like it. Check out this video:
> 
> Three Matches | Cigar Aficionado - YouTube


I just watched this. I have to try this. I don't have matches that long, so my process may take 4-5 matches.

If I remember, I am going to give it a try tonight (routine may overtake memory).


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## A.McSmoke (Jan 9, 2013)

OratorORourke said:


> I just watched this. I have to try this. I don't have matches that long, so my process may take 4-5 matches.
> 
> If I remember, I am going to give it a try tonight (routine may overtake memory).


I've never done it with the long matches, but with medium sized stick matches & it did take a few more. I usually just do the same with a torch.


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

Tradition around my house is that when you smoke a perfecto, you have to at least try to light it with one standard wooden match. As long as it isn't too breezy, you can usually accomplish it. The story goes that perfectos were invented so that they could be lit with a single match.


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## beercritic (Feb 13, 2011)

Provided I'm not smoking a yard gar, I take some time to sniff it from head to foot, snip, mire nasal inspection, then cold puff it.


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## alexcue (Mar 6, 2013)

Tritones said:


> Tradition around my house is that when you smoke a perfecto, you have to at least try to light it with one standard wooden match. As long as it isn't too breezy, you can usually accomplish it. The story goes that perfectos were invented so that they could be lit with a single match.


Very interesting, i have some longer cigar matches, that should work great. With perfectos usually, a Torch just seems overkill. I've never heard that story...


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

Well, to be quite honest..................I have completely stopped trying to pick out what flavors I can detect in a cigar. I find that it just takes away from the enjoyment for me.


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## Tritones (Jun 23, 2010)

Tritones said:


> Tradition around my house is that when you smoke a perfecto, you have to at least try to light it with one standard wooden match. As long as it isn't too breezy, you can usually accomplish it. The story goes that perfectos were invented so that they could be lit with a single match.





alexcue said:


> Very interesting, i have some longer cigar matches, that should work great. With perfectos usually, a Torch just seems overkill. I've never heard that story...


The story I heard (from Herf N Turf) says that because the workers in Cuba were poor, they developed the perfecto shape to save matches. Supposedly the intent was to create a cigar that you can light with one and only one _paper _match. I've never tried it with paper, but I've used standard-sized wooden matches. If the breeze cooperates, one wooden match will light a perfecto pretty easily. I can see how a paper match would work, especially if you smoke indoors.


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## OratorORourke (May 9, 2013)

Tritones said:


> The story I heard (from Herf N Turf) says that because the workers in Cuba were poor, they developed the perfecto shape to save matches. Supposedly the intent was to create a cigar that you can light with one and only one _paper _match. I've never tried it with paper, but I've used standard-sized wooden matches. If the breeze cooperates, one wooden match will light a perfecto pretty easily. I can see how a paper match would work, especially if you smoke indoors.


Makes sense. I plan on trying this as well. Thanks for sharing.


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## sjcruiser36 (Dec 20, 2012)

A.McSmoke said:


> There are so many methods to chose from. I believe this one to be an exercise in patience and anticipation, but I like it. Check out this video:
> 
> Three Matches | Cigar Aficionado - YouTube


Awesome technique to try especially with those special cigars that have been resting or sitting in the humi for awhile. Thanks for posting the link.


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## langos (Mar 1, 2011)

Really. Thanks for the thread/topic.
I always wondered why there seemed to be little on, I do know what do we call it, pre-light experience?
I think this really hit home probably a week or so before this thread while into an Atabey.
There is so much that goes into them, it's almost a shame to burn it. Okay not really.
But, I've always been into it.
There seems to be some terminology missing.
Cigar Bunch is pretty close to smell-a-video.
Is retro-hale a old term or just came into noticeable popularity when Doc define it well, or what ? I don't remember.
Like the taste on the tongue after licking the lip after a cold-draw. What do you call that ?
CO will do a nice pre-light description. Especially photo.
Smell with an open or closed mouth. foot/wrapper

"Originally Posted by *jurgenph* 
i've "smoked" an unlit cigar for more than an hour once. it was awesome."

Opening a box. 
Touch. roll/press
Las características de iluminación.
Okay, I'm gonna say it, _deconstrucción_. 
Maybe it's me.


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